Desert Solar Power – Future of environmentally clean and sustainable Energy:

Desert Solar Power – Future of environmentally clean and sustainable Energy:

A recent renewed interest in alternative energy technologies has revitalized interest in solar thermal technology, a type of solar power that uses the sun’s heat rather than its light to produce electricity. Although the technology for solar thermal has existed for more than two decades, projects have languished while fossil fuels remained cheap. But solar thermal’s time may now have come — and mirrored arrays of solar thermal power plants, hopefully, will soon bloom in many of the world’s deserts.

Large desert-based power plants concentrate the sun’s energy to produce high-temperature heat for industrial processes or to convert the solar energy into electricity. It is quite interesting to note that, as per the recent reports on Solar Power, the resource calculations show that just seven states in the U.S. Southwest can provide more than 7 million MW of solar generating capacity, i.e., roughly 10 times that of total electricity generating capacity of U.S. today from all sources.

In US, as per report, four more concentrating solar technologies are being developed. Till now, parabolic trough technology (i.e., tracking the sun with rows of mirrors that heat a fluid, which then produces steam to drive a turbine) used to provide the best performance at a minimum cost. With this technology, as per the report, since the mid-1980s nine plants, totaling about 354 MW, were operating reliably in California’s Mojave Desert. Natural gas and other fuels provide supplementary heating when the sun is inadequate, allowing solar power plants to generate electricity whenever it is needed. In addition, in order to extend the operating times of solar power plants new heat-storing technologies are being developed as well.

Realizing the advantages of solar energy and seeing the success of desert solar power installed, several solar power plants are now being planned in the U.S. Southwest. Renewed Governmental supports and rising fossil fuel prices including natural gas, lead to new interest in concentrating solar power among many entrepreneurs. Efficiency of concentrating solar technologies has also been improved substantially, since then. While earlier trough plants needed a 25 percent natural gas-fired backup, the new improved plants will require only about 2 percent backup. As per recent news in US, utilities in states with large solar resources such as Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico etc., are considering installation of solar dish systems on a larger scale. As per the latest estimation, within the next decade more than 4,000 MW of central solar plants will be installed. It’s quite encouraging!!

Concentrating Solar Technologies -

(a) Parabolic trough technologies track the sun with rows of mirrors that heat a fluid. The fluid then produces steam to drive a turbine.

(b) Central receiver (tower) systems use large mirrors to direct the sun to a central tower, where fluid is heated to produce steam that drives a turbine. Parabolic trough and tower systems can provide large-scale, bulk power with heat storage (in the form of molten salt, or in hybrid systems that derive a small share of their power from natural gas).

(c) Dish systems consist of a reflecting parabolic dish mirror system that concentrates sunlight onto a small area, where a receiver is heated and drives a small thermal engine.

(d) Concentrating photovoltaic systems (CPV) use moving lenses or mirrors to track the sun and focus its light on high-efficiency silicon or multi-junction solar cells; they are potentially a lower-cost approach to utility-scale PV power. Dish and CPV systems are well suited for decentralized generation that is located close to the site of demand, or can be installed in large groups for central station power.

Conclusion – Now also the cost of solar power is quite high. In fact, for solar energy to achieve its potential, plant construction costs will have to be further reduced via technology improvements, economies of scale, and streamlined assembly techniques. Development of economic storage technologies can also lower costs significantly. According to renewable energy department, a solar plant covering 10 square miles of desert has potential to produce as much power as the Hoover Dam of US produces. Thus, desert-based power plants can provide a large share of the nation’s commercial energy needs.

Solar power – Energy that is most sustainable to protect our economy and environment:

Solar power – Energy that is most sustainable to protect our economy and environment:

Originally developed for energy requirement for orbiting earth satellite - Solar Power – have expanded in recent years for our domestic and industrial needs. Solar power is produced by collecting sunlight and converting it into electricity. This is done by using solar panels, which are large flat panels made up of many individual solar cells. It is most often used in remote locations, although it is becoming more popular in urban areas as well.

There is, indeed, enormous amount of advantages lies with use of solar power specially, in the context of environmental impact and self-reliance. However, a few disadvantages such as its initial cost and the effects of weather conditions, make us hesitant to proceed with full vigor. We discuss below the advantages and disadvantages of Solar Power:

Advantages -

(a) The major advantage of solar power is that no pollution is created in the process of generating electricity. Environmentally it the most Clean and Green energy. Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.

(b) Solar energy does not require any fuel.

(c) It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.

(d) Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog. It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.

(e) There is no on-going cost for the power it generates – as solar radiation is free everywhere. Once installed, there are no recurring costs.

(f) It can be flexibly applied to a variety of stationary or portable applications. Unlike most forms of electrical generation, the panels can be made small enough to fit pocket-size electronic devices, or sufficiently large to charge an automobile battery or supply electricity to entire buildings.

(g) It offers much more self-reliance than depending upon a power utility for all electricity.

(h) It is quite economical in long run. After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically free. Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.

(i) It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of fossil fuel.

(j) By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.

(k) It's generated where it is needed. Therefore, large scale transmission cost is minimized.

(l) Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.

(m) A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations, making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.

(n) The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.

(o) They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.

(p) More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.

(q) Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.

Disadvantages –

(a) The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building solar panels.

(b) The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.

(c) Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.

(d) The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.

(e) The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air. Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem.

(f) As far as solar powered cars go - their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today's fast track movement.

Conclusion - Solar power technology is improving consistently over time, as people begin to understand the benefits offered by this incredible technology. As our oil reserves decline, it is important for us to turn to alternative sources for energy. Therefore, it would be better that converting some of the world's energy requirements to solar power are in the best interest of the worldwide economy and the environment. Since we all are aware of the power of the sun and the benefits we could get from it.

Biotechnology and industrial sustainability in producing clean industrial products:

Biotechnology and industrial sustainability in producing clean industrial products:

A. Introduction: Various points have been given below regarding role of biotechnology and industrial sustainability in producing clean industrial products:

a. Industrial sustainability demands a global vision and co-ordinated policy approaches.
b. In an industrial context, sustainability is equated with clean industrial products and processes.
c. Biotechnology is competitive with and in many cases complements chemical methods for achieving clean technologies.
d. It is essential to determine what is clean or cleaner, using Life Cycle Assessment and related methods.
e. Biotechnology is a versatile enabling technology that provides powerful routes to clean industrial products and processes and is expected to play a growing role.

B. Biotechnology and CO2 emissions: Fossil carbon represents the single most important raw material for energy generation and for chemicals manufacture, but its oxidation product, CO2, is an important greenhouse gas. Any means of reducing fossil carbon consumption, either by improving energy efficiency or by substituting alternative resources will directly result in lowered CO2 production and thus reduce global warming.

C. Industrial processes: Use of biotechnology has already resulted in energy reduction in industrial processes. In only a few instances can the reductions be quantified, and these are presented in this report. Others are only available as anecdotal evidence. As yet, there are insufficient data to allow scaling up these figures to cover whole industrial sectors.

Examples: a. Ammonium acrylate, a key intermediate in the manufacture of acrylic polymers, is made by hydrolyzing acrylonitrile to acrylic acid and reacting this with ammonia. The reaction is energy-intensive and gives rise to by-products which are difficult to remove. A process, based on a bacterial enzyme which directly synthesises ammonium acrylate of the same quality under less energy-demanding conditions, has been operating for several years at full scale.

b. In paper making, treating cellulose fibres in the pulp using cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes allows water to drain more quickly from the wet pulp, thereby reducing processing time and energy used for drying. Trials have shown that machine speeds can be increased by up to 7 per cent and energy input reduced by as much as 7.5 per cent. Replacing thermomechanical pulping by biopulping has resulted in up to 30 per cent reduction in electrical energy consumption.

D. Materials: Biomass, as it grows, consumes CO2. Substances made from such renewable raw materials are therefore a zero net contributor to atmospheric greenhouse gases, unless fossil fuel is used in their manufacture. A wide range of chemicals and structural materials can be based on biological raw materials including biodegradable plastics, biopolymers and biopesticides, novel fibres and timbers. Plant-derived amides, esters and acetates are currently being used as plasticisers, blocking/slip agents and mould-release agents for synthetic polymers. Uses of biohydrocarbons linked to amines, alcohols, phosphates and sulphur ligands include fabric softeners, corrosion inhibitors, ink carriers, solvents, hair conditioners, and perfumes.

E. Chemicals from biological feedstocks: It is no longer necessary to start with a barrel of oil to produce chemicals. Corn, beets, rice – even potatoes – make excellent feedstocks. The fact that micro-organisms transform sugars into alcohol has been known for a very long time. But only since the advent of genetic engineering is it feasible to think about harnessing the sophistication of biological systems to create molecules that are difficult to synthesise by traditional chemical methods.

For example, the polymer polytrimethylene terephthalate (3GT) has enhanced properties compared to traditional polyester (2GT). Yet commercialization has been slow to come because of the high cost of making trimethylene glycol (3G), one of 3GT’s monomers. The secret to producing 3G can be found in the cellular machinery of certain unrelated microorganisms. Some naturally occurring yeasts convert sugar to glycerol, while a few bacteria can change glycerol to 3G. The problem is that no single natural organism has been able to do both. Through recombinant DNA technology, an alliance of scientists from DuPont and Genencor International has created a single micro-organism with all the enzymes required to turn sugar into 3G. This breakthrough is opening the door to low-cost, environmentally sound, large-scale production of 3G. The eventual cost of 3G by this process is expected to approach that of ethylene glycol (2G). The 3G fermentation process requires no heavy metals, petroleum or toxic chemicals. In fact, the primary material comes from agriculture – glucose from cornstarch. Rather than releasing carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, the process actually captures it because corn absorbs CO2 as it grows. All liquid effluent is easily and harmlessly biodegradable. Moreover, 3GT can readily undergo methanolysis, a process that reduces polyesters to their original monomers. Post-consumer polyesters can thus be repolymerised and recycled indefinitely.

F. Clean fuels: While biomass can be consumed (incinerated) directly to produce energy, it can also be converted into a wide range of chemicals and liquid fuels. Although, in energy terms, annual land production of biomass is some five times global energy consumption, biomass presently provides only 1 per cent of commercial energy. Biomass energy cannot compete at present-day prices with fossil fuels and has so far penetrated the market only where governments have effectively subsidised its use. Bioethanol is a CO2-neutral alternative liquid transportation fuel. As new technologies – including continuous fermentation, production from lignocellulosic (wood and agricultural crop) waste – and more efficient separation techniques are developed, the cost of bioethanol will compete with that of gasoline. Over a 20-year period, US ethanol production, based solely on lignocellulosic waste, could rise to 470 million tonnes a year, equal to present gasoline consumption in energy terms.

Guidelines for making City Green

As cities are keep on growing because of urbanization, more and more cities are becoming congested. To make cities livable for the citizen and to make their life beautiful, it has been the constant endevour of the Government to encourage for green building, keep city pollution within the limit and to create sufficient green belt.

A. Green Building is a philosophy of design and construction that integrates natural resources more effectively, preserves and restores the natural and human resource base while creating healthier, more efficient “high-performance” structures, homes and communities. This philosophy incorporates the following guiding principles:

• Using natural and manmade resources efficiently;

• Considering the impact of buildings and development projects on the local, regional and global environment;

• Reducing building footprint and development size;
  

• Allowing ecosystems to function naturally;

• Conserving and reusing water; treating storm water on-site;

• Maximizing the use of local materials;

• Optimizing energy performance by installing energy efficient equipment and systems;
  

• Optimizing climatic conditions through site orientation and design;
  

• Integrating natural day-lighting and ventilation;

• Minimizing the use of mined rare metals and persistent synthetic compounds and volatile organic compounds;
  

• Minimizing construction waste by reducing, reusing and recycling materials during all phases of construction and deconstruction.

Sustainability is the practice of using resources to provide for the needs of today’s citizens while preserving the use of those same resources for the needs of future generations. Generally, objectives of green buildings are: (a) Improve work and learning environments, thus increasing worker productivity and student performance; (b) Mitigate health risks such as asthma and childhood lead poisoning; (c) Create local green building jobs within every existing industrial sector; (d) Reduce energy consumption and costs; (e) Affirm the City’s commitment to environmental conservation.

B. The creation of green-space in cities is often spoken of as if it were the result of orderly planning or regulation. Most of the cities have a plan to conserve green-space on the urban fringe. Generally, planning for creation of city green zones includes:

• Greening Commercial Corridors – This focus on landscape enhancements along strategic streets that can serve as a neighborhood's economic lifeline.

• City Parks Revitalization – This focus on maintaining and beautification of existing parks in a city.

• Setting-up of New Community Gardens;
  

• Street Beautification Projects- creation of "Garden Blocks".

· Education and Training Opportunities - Courses and workshops help city dwellers beautify their communities through horticulture.

C. Apart from setting up green buildings, green covers, strategy for implementing proper solid waste management, restricting generation of air / water pollutants and strict implementation of local emission control codes. Thus, guidelines should include:

• Utilize sites to capture environmental benefits and preserve or create new open space;
  

• Develop programs and policy to conserve potable water use, improve stormwater management and “green” the city sewage waste water system;
  

• Address city and regional transportation issues by encouraging transit-oriented development, improve public transit services and reduce dependency on individual automobile use;

• Implement citywide energy conservation programs and incentives, encourage use of renewable, non-fossil fuel energy sources and improve city performance on meeting regional clean air standards;
  

• Promote the development of local, green manufacturing industries and the use of recycled content materials or renewable materials for building, operations, and supplies for city work. Also establish more extensive recycling program to include construction and demolition waste recycling;
  

• Maintain city’s sustainable development by integrating programs, such as in workforce development, economic redevelopment, and the public school system.

D. Citywide ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces and public vehicles, also to be imposed for long term benefit of its citizen.